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Six year PSA after surgery up DANG

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Posted 10/16/2012 5:49 PM (GMT 0)
I was hoping I could just pop back on here for my annual PSA report and it would be all good. This forum was a wonderful place to be when I got this in 2006. Most of the guys I got to know here have moved on and didn't report back as to how things went. I was feeling pretty good in the fact that I reported back each year and it was a good report with low PSA and all bodily functions working well. So, now here I go again.
10/2006 DaVinci Surgery PSA 0.01
10/2007 PSA 0.02
10/2008 PSA 0.04
10/2009 PSA 0.06
10/2010 PSA 0.06
10/2011 PSA 0.085
10/2012 PSA 0.15 I noticed on the paper work for the lab it said "Ultra" I had not seen that before.

Anyway, this isn't the news I was hoping for. I have been experiencing a pain in my lower back and on my left side pelvic area on an off for over a year. I thought it was just maybe older age pains. Now I'm thinking all kinds of things like bone cancer etc.
Posted 10/16/2012 6:17 PM (GMT 0)
First, sorry you are breaking such a long record and sorry to read that you are having a rise in psa. On the bright side (yeah, right!), it is a very slow increase. Those pains you feel are almost positively NOT cancer pains, as it would take a massive load of cancer (in most cases) and a very high PSA count to get to the bone cancer stage. (Usually, normally and other wiggle words for the just read sentence.) In the meantime, what does the doc say about it? Any plans or do a retest first?

Looking closer, you seem to be matching my pattern pretty closely. Look at the details in my signature and you can see a pattern of increases and decreases that is only visible over time. I am going with a benign tissue theory as an explanation of why mine is up and floating around. We are waiting for it to go twice above .2 before moving to SRT. You might want to discuss this with the doc and see what they think. Keep us informed..
Posted 10/16/2012 6:21 PM (GMT 0)
i'm very sorry to hear that.

I also have those pains. Was told it was degenerative spine injury and that all of us get it as we age.

What were your stats going into surgery?
Posted 10/16/2012 7:03 PM (GMT 0)
DANG is right. I hate to see a DaVinci Pioneer post this. Are you taking any ED meds that could be causing the pain? At least its a very slow rise and you have time to formulate plan B, which may just be AS. Let us know what you decide.

Edit: Looks like you had an Ultra sensitive PSA last year also. Measure in thousandths instead of hundredths.
Posted 10/16/2012 7:50 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks guys, James C. Your numbers do look similar to mine. You were a year behind me joining this club. I will see the doc on 11/16 no plans for a re-test but probably after visit with the doc. I appreciate your post a lot.

davidg, my stats prior to surgery were according to the doc were "good" if there is such a thing with this disease. I had a Gleason score of 6. After surgery Gleason 7 Stage T1.

Startech, everything has been going just fine in all the "departments" I used ED meds viagra a couple times early on and it didn't help. I did use a pump for three years the last time it was used was 11/2009 (I been keeping score). I haven't needed it since then. Everything was going good no incontinence ever and the sexual part starting working 11 months from surgery. So, I have been feeling pretty darn special and fortunate about how things turned out for me. I have experienced some real major blessings because of this disease. I would have missed out on them if I had just rolled along without PC. Life is an adventure everyday is a blessing so here I go on with the adventure.
Posted 10/16/2012 7:56 PM (GMT 0)
56, sure do hate to hear this news. Thats a wakeup call to all us guys. The game is never over till the fat lady sings. Hang in there. Know were all here to walk with you.

Cajun Jeff
Posted 10/16/2012 8:10 PM (GMT 0)
Hi 56,

Sorry to hear the latest...after all this time.

Cajun Jeff said it right...

All the Best to you moving forward!

Mike

 

Posted 10/19/2012 10:07 PM (GMT 0)
56 - This is a reminder to all of us without our prostate any more that we need to keep on the PSA tests. So sorry to hear that yours is on the rise. All the best!

Steve
Posted 10/19/2012 10:16 PM (GMT 0)
Oh man, that's a drag after this much time.

I agree that it's extremely unlikely that your aches and pains are related to prostate cancer. Not with a PSA score that low. Probably just aging kicking you around a bit.

I hope your next round of treatment knocks your PSA down to undetectable quickly and permanently. Given how slowly it has risen, that might be a very good possibility. Hang in there.

Best,

Jonathan
Posted 10/19/2012 11:05 PM (GMT 0)
LTNS, pontiac, I wondered what became of you.

Sorry to hear your news. It may be the first signal after all this time, you may have recurrance, or it may
be a blip on the radar screen. The next two PSA readings should be a pretty good indicator.

If I remember, you only had surgery, no radiation, is that correct?

If it continues to rise, then salvage radiation may be in the cards for you. Hopefully, not.

Best wishes to you,

David in SC
Posted 10/21/2012 9:36 AM (GMT 0)
Pontiac, we have pretty similar histories, with surgery about 6 year back, and then some signs of recurrence. It is a real disappointment to see the PSA numbers reappear.

I hope that your case is similar to mine (see my signature) my numbers started to magically go down again, at least for the moment. There are other examples of this on this forum. Good luck, and I hope you manage to keep your spirits up.
Posted 10/21/2012 9:56 AM (GMT 0)
That is one slow rise over six years that is for sure. Looking at the numbers it seems to be doubling steadily every 14 or 15 months. It seems to be a classic case of slow growing residual cells in the prostate bed. From what I understand the pain you feel would not be related to any tumour as with a reading of 0.15 any thing there would be pretty small. But having said that there have been cases (as per Pattersson) where the PSA has turned around and decreased again. I would probably look at being tested every 3 months now rather than yearly just to carefully monitor what's going on. (I have seen the PSA test to two decimal places described as "Hyper-sensitive" while the test to three decimal places was described as the "ultra-sensitive" test)
Bill
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